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efbeckett's review
3.0
Millar was not a prolific writer of short stories and, while this collection is entertaining enough, it's not hard to conclude based on the evidence that it was better that she devoted the bulk of her attentions to novels.
Most of this volume is occupied with two novellas, written at the start of her professional career. The first is an AND THEN THERE WERE NONE variant featuring her series psychiatrist/sleuth Paul Prye. The second is a 39 STEPS variant WW2 espionage tale. Neither form is especially suited to her strengths as a writer, but they're not boring and don't overstay their welcome, with the latter maybe wrapping up too quickly. You've read far worse in both genres.
The three short stories which follow are the best pieces here, including two regularly anthologized tales, "The Couple Next Door" and "The People Across the Canyon". Excellent work, even if I wouldn't trade any of her novels from "Beast in View" on for them. The last story, "Notions", is almost a sketch, and the last thing she ever published.
I read these stories in the FIRST THINGS, LAST THINGS volume of the COLLECTED MILLAR anthologies, where 3 more very short pieces are added. The first is her very first published piece, from her high school yearbook, which was edited by her future husband Ken "Ross Macdonald" Millar. If I may drag myself into the picture, I feel very protective of this piece as I would edit the 1990 edition of that same school's yearbook many moons later. Anything we can do to make ourselves feel closer to our favourite writers!
Most of this volume is occupied with two novellas, written at the start of her professional career. The first is an AND THEN THERE WERE NONE variant featuring her series psychiatrist/sleuth Paul Prye. The second is a 39 STEPS variant WW2 espionage tale. Neither form is especially suited to her strengths as a writer, but they're not boring and don't overstay their welcome, with the latter maybe wrapping up too quickly. You've read far worse in both genres.
The three short stories which follow are the best pieces here, including two regularly anthologized tales, "The Couple Next Door" and "The People Across the Canyon". Excellent work, even if I wouldn't trade any of her novels from "Beast in View" on for them. The last story, "Notions", is almost a sketch, and the last thing she ever published.
I read these stories in the FIRST THINGS, LAST THINGS volume of the COLLECTED MILLAR anthologies, where 3 more very short pieces are added. The first is her very first published piece, from her high school yearbook, which was edited by her future husband Ken "Ross Macdonald" Millar. If I may drag myself into the picture, I feel very protective of this piece as I would edit the 1990 edition of that same school's yearbook many moons later. Anything we can do to make ourselves feel closer to our favourite writers!
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